If ‪#‎Putin‬ and ‪#‎Russia‬ “annexes” ‪#‎Crimea‬, should ‪#‎Nato‬ or the US intervene? ‪#‎Ukraine‬

“In connection with the extraordinary situation that has arisen in the Ukraine, the threat to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our fellow countrymen and the personnel of the military contingent of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation deployed on the territory of the Ukraine (the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea) in accordance with an international agreement, on the basis of Point G Part 1 of Article 101 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation , I am submitting to the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation a request to use the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Ukraine until the normalisation of the socio-political situation in that country.”

Let’s send our troops into a region here they will be facing the troops of a country that can obliterate us with nuclear weapons. After all, we haven’t had a missile crisis for decades. Let’s show that we’ve learned nothing from wars past. After all, we’ve already used NATO to expand our circle of control into Eastern Europe. It really goes back to John Lennon said when said that our leaders are insane and they have maniacal purposes (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YspNkm0BKgw).

The locus of Putin’s alliance with the Church, his war on homosexuality, and his recent Crimean land grab may be population. It is no secret that this baptized tzar (without benefit of the title) wants Russia’s population increased from its current 140 million to 150 million. Seizing the Ukraine would give him about 8 million more Russians immediately. Thus, Putin’s sending in the troops in this case is probably easier than convincing several million Russian women to crank out more kids! On the other side of the coin, committing American troops in this instance would be folly since, in Putin’s mind at least, the resulting conflict would likely be a war for Russian survival.

In the decade prior to World War I, George Santayana famously noted, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Now may be the perfect time for right-wing warmongers such a “Wild Bill Two Pistol” Kristol to learn that lesson as the world approaches the centennial anniversary of the World War I. One again, the world stage is set for one of the greater follies of mankind to play itself out to the amusement of posterity. . Almost exactly 100 years ago, a fatal convergence of domestic politics, diplomatic alliances, imperial greed, military adventurism, and hyper nationalism managed to kill off an estimated 2 percent of the world’s population within a span of 52 months in a display of vicious hostilities that were originally supposed to be over by Christmas. . Repeating the causality rate of the Great War these days would be the equivalent of wiping out about half the population of the United States! But who’s counting when national prestige is at stake? Besides, according to plutocrathink, it’s time to weed out all the undesirables anyway. Might as well put them to good use as cannon fodder for the fatherland. . Only, if the world stumbles into World War III this time around, among my fondest wishes is that “Wild Bill Two Pistol” Kristol’s children are numbered among dead, dying, and terminally dismembered in the subsequent holocaust.

Vladimir Putin’s adventures in Crimea point out a significant problem with Christian political leadership. One little know fact about Putin is that he was secretly baptized as an infant during the height of Soviet rule. Since then, the Russian Orthodox Church is part of his power structure. Putin’s stances on homosexuality and the status of women are very much in line with Old Testament prescriptions for a godly society. Last year, this latter day tzar visited the Ukraine to commemorate the 1,025th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia.

Yet, underneath the facade of faith, Putin exhibits traits more indicative of a psychopath than a peacemaker. He is superficially charming. Most certainly, humility does not seem to be part of his repertoire. Putin has a well deserved reputation for being vindictive. He has seemingly obliterated several rivals.

If empathy were motor oil, the relevant idiot light on Putin’s instrument panel would be flaming red. He reportedly has a hair trigger temper and is notoriously fearless. Yet, even under stress, he can exude an eerie calmness that can unnerve his associates. In several instances, Putin has behaved more like a Mafia don than a world class statesman.

While I am by no means the first to question exactly where Putin’s psychological profile falls into The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) classification scheme of abnormalities, the fact that he is on the decidedly predatory end of the spectrum brings up a troubling aspect of Christianity.

A few years ago, a bumper sticker proclaimed: CHRISTIANS AREN’T PERFECT JUST FORGIVEN. While this may be true, a more salient question is how much damage to the faith occurs when a Putin-like Christian acquires power, and believing anything they do will be forgiven, runs roughshod over humankind? While Putin may be an exaggerated example of freewheeling entitlement to free salvation regardless of its effect on others, his behavior is by no means isolated. More to the point, this hypocrisy drives many people away from the faith. Like Jesus, even heathens tend to avoid being taking in by wolves disguised as sheep if they have a choice. That is one explanation as to why churches are hemorrhaging members these days.

At the same time, Putin either feels forgiven or, even worse, he’s doing God’s will. As with the reportedly about to meet his maker Fred “God Hates” Phelps, the absence of spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22) makes him exceptionally dangerous.